Chapter 2

September first arrived with it's normal excitement and chaos in most wizarding households, as students went through the motions, and packed, repacked, check and double checked that they were prepared to board the crimson steam engine at King's Cross station.

This was the case at the Greengrass manor where Daphne, and her younger sister, Astoria settled their trunks in the entry hall of their family home, and donned their traveling cloaks in preparation.

Daphne was going to meet her best friend Tracey at the train station, they would find a compartment as usual, and then, when the train was underway, She and her friend were going to find and speak to Harry Potter.

Over the last weeks of the summer holiday, Daphne's anxiety had grown in leaps and bounds, and now as she stood awaiting her parents, she was visibly shaking with nerves. Her younger sister held her tongue, understanding the intense pressure that her older sister had been placed under. Astoria, for the millionth time this summer thanked whoever watched over them that her parents had not entered her in a marriage contract as well.

"Daphne, are you going to be alright?" Astoria asked with concern.

Daphne eyed her sister suspiciously for a few moments before nodding her head stiffly. The truth was she was actually thinking of avoiding everything to do with Harry Potter and the stupid contract, and just continuing on with her life as if this had all been a seriously bad dream. After all, one could pack a lot of living into three years.

There were so many things that cautioned her against even speaking to Potter. The first being how her housemates would react. Daphne had never truly cared about what her housemates thought, mostly due to the fact that they let her be. She had never been the center of scrutiny, and she had worked hard to keep things that way. Daphne thought that maybe Tracey had a good idea at waiting until they were out of school and approaching him then.

Yet, Daphne knew that her biggest mistake had been in revealing her situation to her best friend. Tracey was nothing if not persistent, and Tracey loved to see people squirm. Though her sights had never before been set on Daphne. Tracey had been writing all summer since she had gone home from her visit. She had come up with dozens of different ways in which to approach Harry Potter and revealing that they were intended to be married. None of which had been remotely helpful.

"Well, have you both got everything together?" Mrs. Greengrass said as she joined her daughters. Both girls nodded dutifully, and their mother embraced them both.

"Well, Let's get going." Mr. Greengrass smiled as he waved his wand, shrinking his daughter possessions, and sticking them in his pocket.

The journey had been very normal, passing through the floo network to Diagon Alley, where they entered in to muggle London to catch a taxi cab to King's Cross Station. The platform 9 3/4 was it's normal bustling frantic self, with hundreds of students running to a fro, saying good bye to their parents and saying hello to their friends.

"Astoria!" a girl around thirteen called, running up to Daphne's sister and embracing her warmly. She said hello to the elder Greengrass' and after a quick goodbye, Astoria and her little friend disappeared into the mass of students and parents.

"Are you to meet Tracey here, or on the train?" Mr. Greengrass asked.

"Here. She should be here soon, if she isn't already." Daphne nodded, still scanning the crowd.

"Daphne, may I speak with you a moment?" Mrs. Greengrass asked. Daphne followed her mother just a little way away from where her father now stood watching students come through the barrier.

"We've not spoken of it since that night, but I wanted to ask what you intended to do in regards to your situation with Harry Potter?" Mrs. Greengrass said softly. Daphne felt herself stiffen in anger, and she glared at her mother.

"Why are you so concerned about it? Isn't it all wrapped up? All that is left is for you to gift wrap me and hand me over right?" Daphne snarled.

"It isn't like that and you know it, young lady." Her mother shot back. "I think you'll find, if you can ever get past your narrow views, that you are the one who stands to gain from this arrangement, not your father or me."

"Mother, No one enters their child into a marriage contract unless they get something out of it. Why can't you be honest and just tell me what it was?"

"Because there is nothing to tell. When did you become so suspicious and paranoid?"

"About the moment I found my own family had sold me off like cattle to the highest bidder. Goodbye mother, give my love to father."

With that Daphne stormed away from her obviously concerned and stunned mother and on to the train. She was angrier than she'd ever been in her young life. Growing up, all she ever heard was how oppressive wizards could be, and how her family struggled to help lesser wizards, half bloods and muggleborns from that oppression. The Greengrass family was felt to be neutral in their political standings, but Daphne knew that they leaned more to the light. Her mother abhorred the pureblood propaganda, being half-blood herself and her father believed that no one should be judged on blood, but on power and talent.

Daphne tried to clear her mind as she found an empty compartment, and put her things in the overhead rack before sitting down to await her best friends arrival. Several people poked their heads in her cabin, and quickly left, realizing the Ice Queen had claimed that cabin.

Daphne always felt a twinge of sadness that she had so few friends, but her experience in Slytherin house had proven time and time again that you could trust very few people in life. It was almost like the house bred bullies and degenerates. Daphne had witnessed all manner of oppression from older students to younger. However, the majority of hostilities was saved for the other houses, especially Gryffindors.

Draco Malfoy had been the biggest bully of all. Since his second year, Malfoy, with the help of his father, had positioned himself as the king serpent. Even older students feared crossing him. Nearly every Slytherin fed information to him regarding whatever his interests happened to be at the moment. Daphne despised Malfoy vehemently. He was a stuck up braggart with very little real magical power. It was true that he was a quick study and picked up new spells fast, but there was little power behind it all. Daphne also despised her fellow Slytherins for not seeing that Malfoy was a puffed up peacock. She knew if he were ever exposed for the weakling he truly was, no one would ever listen to his prejudiced diatribe ever again. Unfortunately, his name carried a lot of weight, and no one dare cross the Malfoys.

Daphne's train of thought was broken when Tracey entered the cabin as perky as ever.

"There you are!" She huffed. "I've been looking for you for twenty minutes. I thought we were going to meet on the platform and look for Potter?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't have a very good farewell with my mother and father. I had to get away from them. There's still time to go look for him." Daphne sighed.

"No. Let's just wait for the train to get moving, and all these children to settle in. It'll be easier to approach him. Especially when Granger and Weasley go to the prefects meeting."

The girls sat in relative silence, speaking softly to one another as was their custom during school. They had learned to speak near whisper since their first year, to prevent people from overhearing them. They had also perfected the cold stare. A look of frigid indifference that made the focus of their gaze become uncomfortable and eventually excuse themselves. Ever since third year, that look had guaranteed them a cabin to themselves on the train.

At exactly eleven o'clock, the crimson steam engine, known as the Hogwarts Express sounded it's whistle, and began it's journey north. There were shrieks of joy in the corridor as students greeted each other on the train. Both Daphne and Tracey watched from their cabin as first years passed, looking simultaneously frightened and awed by the goings on.

About twenty minutes into the trip, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode stepped into the cabin and greeted their dorm mates. Pansy had finally grown out of here ugly duckling phase, or her parents had ponied up the gold so their child could visit with the magical world's finest beauty experts. Whatever they had done, Pansy now looked quite attractive. Her dark hair was silky, and cut in a very flattering style. Her clothes were doing everything they could to accentuate her new curvier figure.

"Now we'll never get her to shut up about how great she thinks she is." Daphne thought sourly.

"Hello, Davis, Greengrass. How was your holiday?" Pansy simpered. She still believed herself the leader of their clique, though both Tracey and Daphne knew that there was no such clique. Pansy would seek them out, shadowed always by Millie, who was nice when Pansy was not to be found. Pansy would follow Tracey and Daphne around, always trying to keep herself in front to appear as if she were leading them. Pansy worked very hard to keep up the farce for the whole school and herself.

"Pleasant as always." Daphne spoke stiffly.

"I sent you an invitation to visit, why didn't you respond?" Pansy smiled tightly.

"As usual, your owl left before I could respond. As you know, I'm sure. My family has no owl. Father uses the Floo, or delivery owls. He won't let us have an owl, he feels their to messy." Daphne lied easily.

"Too bad. Millie and I had a marvelous time this summer."

Tracey glanced at Millicent who looked bored and a little sad. Tracey could tell that Pansy's idea of marvelous would have been a very long tirade on how beautiful she was and how marvelous a match she would be to Draco Malfoy.

"Excuse me, Pansy, But aren't you still a prefect?" Tracey asked.

"Yes, and I must be off. The meeting will be starting soon. I will catch up with you ladies a bit later on." She gave a silly little wave and left them to their privacy. Millicent looked like she might smile until Pansy called for her to join her. Millie gave a sad little sigh and dutifully followed Pansy out and down the corridor.

"Poor Millie." Tracey said when the door shut.

"One day that poor girl is going to pay for mistakes she had no choice in making. I do hope she opens her eyes before that." Daphne sighed.

"She's so nice." Tracey stared at the closed door. "Well, shall we go find your future husband?"

Daphne glared hard at her friend, who smiled back as if she'd just done well on an exam. Daphne finally shook her head and rose out of her seat, smoothed the front of her skirt and led the way out of the cabin followed by Tracey.

"When we find him, I do all the talking, got it?' Daphne said, spinning to face her friend who had the good sense to look fearful. Tracey nodded her agreement and the two girls began searching for the elusive black haired boy.

Daphne led the way through the train, peering into every window, searching for the Gryffindor Golden Boy. They found him in the last car of the train sitting with Neville Longbottom and a rather odd looking blonde girl, whose name Daphne did not know. It looked like Longbottom and Potter were engaged in a quiet conversation, while the blonde seemed to be engrossed in her magazine.

Daphne took a deep breath and opened the door to the cabin and stepped inside.

"Excuse me Longbottom, but I need to speak with Potter privately." Daphne said rather forcefully. Neville looked rather embarrassed and surprised by the appearance of two attractive Slytherin girls.

"Whatever you have to say to me can be said in front of my friends." Harry said defensively. The black haired Gryffindor was obviously angry already. Daphne couldn't think of what might have put the boy on the defensive already, they were only twenty minutes into the journey.

Daphne looked to Tracey who could only shrug, and then to Neville who still looked apprehensive. The blonde girl never moved or made any indication that she had heard anything at all.

Daphne realized she was in a tight spot and had a decision to make.

"It's rather personal, Potter, and I doubt you'd want what I have to say getting around." She tried.

"Just say what ever you have to say and leave me alone." Harry nearly shouted.

"Fine." Daphne huffed, folding her arms across her chest. "I was given a bit of news this summer, and I feel obligated to share it with you. It seems that you and I are betrothed."

Harry looked up at Daphne with a look of confusion.

"It means you're going to be married to her." Tracey said. Daphne spun and looked angrily at her friend, who shrugged.

"I know what it means. I'm just trying to see how this is funny. It's a rather bad joke, really."

Daphne sat across from Harry, next to Neville and crossed her legs, resting her folded hands upon her knee.

"I assure you it's no joke. It seems my parents entered into an agreement with your family just after I was born. There is a contract that stipulates that you and I are to be married."

There was silence in the cabin for a long tense few moments.

"A marriage contract?" asked Neville. Both Tracey and Daphne turned on him, causing him to redden slightly. Neville did his best to calm himself as he continued. "You could have just slipped him a love potion. It would have been much easier than trying to convince him you're destined to be married by contract."

"You don't seem to be getting this. This is not a joke. It's not a prank by me, so much as a prank on me. There is a marriage contract between the house of Potter and the House of Greengrass that says that Harry Potter and I are to be married. I'm told this contract resides in the Potter family vault. My parents informed me of it this summer in hopes that you and I, Potter would spend the next two years at school getting to know one another so our marriage wouldn't be so uncomfortable." Daphne shivered as she spoke the last bit.

"Let me get this straight." Harry said, leaning forward in his seat and staring into Daphne's dark brown eyes. She had often heard other girls speak on Harry's piercing green eyes, but she'd never experienced his probing stare before. As he looked into her eyes, she felt exposed. As if he could truly see inside the most secret parts of her soul. It was almost nice, except the boy was angry and his eyes seemed to pulse with that anger. Daphne actually felt a little fear creeping up her spine, though no one could tell as she remain perfectly impassive.

"You're telling me that you and I are obligated to be married because our parents arranged it just after we were born? When is this supposed to take affect exactly?"

"By my nineteenth birthday."

"Not a lot of time to plan a proper wedding, is it?" Tracey snickered. Both Daphne and Harry glared at her.

"Why should I believe any of this?" Harry asked.

"Don't believe it. Write to Gringotts and get a copy of the contract. We'll go over it together. I'm very interested to learn of the arrangements and what my family gained from selling off their first born child."

"All right then. When this contract arrives, I will come find you and you can look at it. Until then, you and the rest of your serpents pals can stay the hell away from me." Harry growled.

Daphne stood, smoothed out her skirt and gave a slight nod of farewell. She and Tracey left the cabin and Harry slumped back in his seat.

"It's a lousy joke." Neville said softly. "I'm sure Malfoy put her up to it."

"I suppose we'll know when Malfoy comes by for his annual trip visit. This seems a bit amateurish even for him. What if it's true?"

"Marriage Contracts haven't been done in a very long time. I've not heard of one in the last twenty years at least. I really wouldn't worry. Though if there was one, you could do a lot worse than Daphne Greengrass."

"Is that who that was?" Harry asked a little interested. "She's the one all the boys call the Ice Queen, right?"

"Yeah. She never dates, always studies. She is second in our year behind Hermione, you know. He family is quite old too. Everyone thinks they're dark, but my Gran says that they just keep up that façade in order to stay safe. She says that Mr. Greengrass is a very good politician, or he would be if he were on the Wizengamont."

"Why isn't he?" Harry asked.

"Gran says they'd rather stay out of the public political arena. She says there's more money changing hands behind the scenes. She reckons that's how the Malfoys have remained so powerful. "

"Malfoy." Harry seethed. He still had no idea what his enemy was up to, but he was sure it wasn't good. He had not been able to convince Ron or Hermione that Draco had taken the Dark Mark.

During their trip to Diagon Alley to get their school things, Harry, Ron and Hermione had followed Draco into Knockturn Alley into the shop of Borgin and Burke's.

It was there that they overheard the blonde Slytherin prince demanding things from the shop's owner. Harry was convinced that Draco Malfoy was now a member of Lord Voldemort's supporters and was plotting against the school, and Dumbledore. His friends however, did not share his suspicion, believing Malfoy to be far to weak to even be considered for service by the Dark Lord, and he was most likely trying to throw his weight around using his family name. This disagreement had caused a lot of strife between Harry and his friends.

"I heard that Daphne and Tracey are outsiders in their own house." Neville said, breaking Harry from his thoughts.

"So?" Harry asked a little annoyed.

"Well, after what you told me about Malfoy, it could be good to have someone on the inside. Someone who dislikes Malfoy…"

"I get it Neville. I doubt she'd be willing to spy for me, though." Harry sighed.

Ron and Hermione joined Harry, Neville and Luna a little while later, where they shared that Malfoy was no longer the Slytherin Prefect.

"Apparently he resigned the post and now Theodore Nott is the new prefect." Ron said disdainfully. Harry's mind began thinking of all the reasons why Malfoy might resign his position of power over lower year students, and Neville's suggestion began making sense. However, he just couldn't think of a way to get the "Ice Queen of Hogwarts" to help him.

"Well while you were at the prefects meeting, you missed quite the bad joke." Neville started when Harry glared at him, silencing him. Harry couldn't really think why he should not talk about Daphne's visit, and now he would be unable to not talk about it.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked. Luna answered before Harry got the chance to brush it off.

"Harry is betrothed to Daphne Greengrass from Slytherin House." The blonde fifth year Ravenclaw didn't even look up from her magazine, so she missed the death stare that Harry gave her.

"WHAT?!" both Hermione and Ron yelled.

"It's just a really bad prank." Harry tried to say. "Malfoy obviously put her up to it."

"What did she say?" Hermione demanded.

"That's disgusting. Who'd want to be with any of them?" Ron asked to no one.

"Actually if they all looked like Daphne Greengrass, I'd not say no." Neville said thoughtfully to himself. Everyone looked at him, and Neville slumped a little in his seat, face burning scarlet.

"Daphne Greengrass?" Hermione asked confused. "She doesn't hang around Malfoy. Why would she take part in something so silly. She's very intelligent as well as quite attractive, so the boys all say. I even heard Fred and George comment on her several times."

Ron looked insulted at Hermione's observation.

"She told me that there was a marriage contract in my family vault at Gringotts. I don't even have a family vault." Harry said still trying to brush off the whole incident. Hermione turned so quickly to face him that Harry swore she might have hurt herself.

"Don't be so sure Harry, when we were at Sirius' last Christmas, he mentioned to me how old your family was. I wouldn't be surprised if there was another vault or two for you. Many of the oldest families have several vaults in Gringotts."

"Why wouldn't I know about it then?" Harry was beginning to get angry over the topic.

"Harry, Sometimes I wonder how you've made it so far knowing so little. Perhaps you should ask Dumbledore about it all." Hermione suggested, giving him a meaningful look.

"Maybe because no one ever tells me anything." Harry said angrily. "Everyone keeps secrets from me to protect me, or whatever."

"Calm down Harry. Just ask Dumbledore when you get the chance. I'm sure he'll tell you now." Hermione tried placating her friend.

Harry sighed and faced the window. He'd had a very strange day, and it was only just past one.

"Excuse me." said a timid voice from the doorway. A small boy who looked like a first year stood shaking in the door, his hands wrapped around a small bit of parchment.

"Can we help you?" Hermione said gently.

"I'm looking for Harry Potter, and Neville Longbottom. I was told to give them this." The young boy said, holding out the parchment. Harry took it with a small smile and the young boy ran off. Harry scanned it and frowned. He handed it over to Neville who looked quite confused.

"Who's Slughorn?" Neville asked. "Is he the new DADA teacher?"

"I don't think so. I met him earlier this summer, and he said he had many interesting potions to show the students." Harry said climbing to his feet.

"Potions?" Ron asked incredulously. "Why didn't you mention that before?"

"It could be poisons and antidotes." Hermione shrugged.

"I suppose we'll find out." Harry said. He and Neville said goodbye to Ron Hermione and Luna before trekking their way to the front of the train where Slughorn was holding court with several other student, including Ginny Weasley.

Harry was able to get a seat next to the youngest Weasley, and smiled shyly as she gave him a bright greeting.

"Well, now that you're here Gentleman, perhaps a few introductions eh?" Slughorn chuckled. Harry was introduced to several students some of which he knew, others he couldn't remember ever seeing at Hogwarts.

The meeting was more of a luncheon, where Slughorn boasted about all the famous wizards and witches he knew, and asking about several of the students families. In fact everyone present seemed to be there because they were either well connected or extremely talented. Slughorn talked politely, but Harry had the distinct impression of a sort of interrogation. He began to dread what things Slughorn might ask of him. He looked about the room and his mind screamed for a way out of it all.

"Which brings us to young Harry. So much has been written about you m'boy. I daresay I can hardly believe half of it. And now all this business about a prophecy and that incident in the Ministry this past summer…" Slughorn smiled widely, giving Harry the impression of a extremely pleased walrus.

"There's not much to tell." Harry began to say, but Slughorn waved it off.

"So humble. Taking on Death Eaters on you own…"

"I wasn't alone. Neville and Ginny were there with me, and there was Ginny's brother Ron, and Hermione and Luna."

"Really?" Slughorn seemed to perk up a little and sat forward. Harry noticed that many of the others also seemed to be on the edge of their seat, including Blaise Zabini from Slytherin House. Zabini, a tall dark skinned boy, was eyeing Harry suspiciously as Harry opened and closed his mouth several times.

"Six of you fighting fully trained Death Eaters on your own and all for some silly prophecy." Slughorn chuckled. "The rumors have been quite something to hear. You know they're even calling you the Chosen One. Isn't that something?"

" It's all rubbish if you ask me." Zabini smirked. "I've never seen anything to make me believe that Potter is anything special."

"Oh because you're so talented of course." Ginny said angrily. This seemed to send Slughorn into another chuckling fit.

"Oh Ho, I must warn you, Zabini, m'boy. Watch out for this young lady. I saw her perform the most amazing Bat-Bogey Hex. She is not one who should be trifled with, and she helped young Harry fight off Death Eaters. Not many can claim to do that and gotten away with their lives, no sir."

Lunch continued, and Harry was able to deflect more question about him and the rumors flying about him. This seemed to upset Slughorn, but he kept his disappointment hidden. Finally he excused the gathered students, and the filed out of the car and back to their own cabins to prepare for arrival at Hogsmeade station.

Ginny said goodbye to Harry and Neville as she joined Dean and several others from Gryffindor in their cabin. Harry felt a tightening in his chest when he saw Dean give Ginny a kiss.

A little further back, they passed a cabin in which Draco sat with his cronies. Harry wanted so badly to listen to their conversation. He would have given anything to find out what Draco was up to. Harry knew in his gut that the Slytherin Prince was going to cause trouble this year, and Harry couldn't convince anyone of it. It left him with only one option, to gather proof.

Harry kept on walking towards where his friends were when he felt himself grabbed and pulled into a cabin.

"Sit down, Potter." Daphne said forcefully as she shoved Harry into the empty bench across from her. She sat down next to Tracey Davis and eyed him coolly.

"I want to make a few things clear." She said sternly. Both girls sat with their arms folded across their chests, and Harry suddenly felt tense. He wanted his wand in his hand. Even though both girls didn't have their wands, Harry still felt uncomfortably on edge.

"All right." He said evenly.

"Since we've never ever spoken in all our years at school together, I can't imagine why you'd think I would stoop so low as to play some juvenile prank to get your attentions. I guess what they say about your ego is true after all."

Now Harry began to feel angry at this blonde serpent.

"Now who's judging who?" he asked snarkily. Daphne's eyebrow raised a bit.

"To be honest, I can't imagine any girl who'd be interested in me, or why they'd go to any lengths to get my attention. In case you've forgotten, I'm marked for death by a certain dark wizard. Being associated with me gets people hurt or dead. So don't go thinking I'm going to delude myself into believing I'm Merlin's gift to women. I'm not Malfoy."

Harry stood up and made to leave when Daphne ordered him to sit down once again. Harry glared at the blonde Slytherin girl, who after a moment added, "Please."

Harry sat in a huff and stared coldly at the blonde girl.

"Look, Harry." Daphne said softening her tone a bit. "I had plans for my life, and while marriage was a part of that, it was to be for love, not because I was contractually obligated to do so. I need to see that contract so I can find a way out of it. I'm sure you'd rather have a choice in who you end up with, right?"

Harry thought about her words for a few moments and Ginny's face flashed in his mind's eye. Harry wanted a family to call his own more than anything, but he also wanted to be free to choose who he married and built that family with.

"Everyone should be able to choose who they marry." Harry finally said.

"Exactly. So let's not fight over this. We both want the same thing here." Daphne said triumphantly, uncrossing her arms and leaning forward. "I'm just asking that you get hold of the contract and let's take a look at it, and see what we can do to end it."

Harry stood again and held out his hand. Daphne took it and Harry shook it once and left. Daphne knew then that she had reached him and that they might be able to end this nightmare.

"Well done, Daphne." Tracey congratulated her friend. "I'll even bet he writes them tonight and you'll be free of it all by week's end."

"Let's hope so. Father was pretty confident that it was unbreakable, but I'm sure there has got to be a loophole."

"I want to apologize for making fun of you all these years for your interest in magical law. I thought you were mad reading all those books, but it may actually pay off for you."

"I hope so."

"Still," Tracey said wistfully, looking to where Harry had been only a moment before. "He is really good looking, and passionate. Did you hear how he spoke about You-Know-Who being after him. That boy is in desperate need of a good snog."

"Well feel free to give it to him." Daphne said harshly.

"I would never betray my best friend and snog her husband to be." Tracey grinned like the cat who got the mouse.

"I hate you. I truly do hate you."